World Solar Challenge is an Amazing Adventure in Engineering

One of the world’s greatest engineering adventures began over the weekend as more than 40 solar cars are braving the Australian Outback on a 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) journey from Darwin to Adelaide , South Australia. In its 30th year, the organizers of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge have made the journey even more challenging in 2017 by reducing the size of the solar array that powers the cars. Event Director Chris Selwood said the decision was made to reduce the solar array from 6 to 4 square meters because the challenge was about being more efficient with the use of power rather than travelling the fastest. In 2007, the size was reduced to 6sq m from the 8sq m originally allowed in 1987. “When we started this 30 years ago, the scientists told us that each of us as human beings had 8 square meters of the earth’s surface from which to draw our sustenance. So whe...